Growing up in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, Darryl Cowherd (b. 1940) discovered photography at Roosevelt University, where he studied under Robert Earl Wilson (later Adeoshun Ifalade). Guided by Wilson, Cowherd began documenting life on Chicago’s South Side and throughout his career spent several years in Europe—living and working in Paris, Barcelona, and later, Stockholm—where he continued to hone his documentary approach and technical skills.
After a stay in Europe, Cowherd returned to Chicago in the mid-1960s and became part of a vibrant community of South Side artists, writers, and activists. He joined the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) and contributed images to the Wall of Respect (1967), the landmark collaborative mural that helped define the visual and political language of the Black Arts Movement. During this time, he also worked as a reporter and photographer for the Nation of Islam’s newspaper Muhammad Speaks, capturing notable figures including Gordon Parks during a visit to the South Side Community Art Center.
In 1968, Cowherd joined the Swedish photography cooperative Tiofoto (Team Bild), where he spent two years producing work for international publications and organizations, including the Swedish Red Cross. Later, he pursued a career in broadcast journalism as a tenured writer and editor in Washington, D.C., where he still resides.
Cowherd’s photographs have been featured in major exhibitions such as Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power (Tate Modern, London, 2017), Never a Lovely So Real: Photography and Film in Chicago, 1950–1980 (Art Institute of Chicago, 2018), and Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985 (National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2025). Throughout his career, Cowherd has remained committed to portraying individuals and everyday life with care and respect, a perspective shaped by his experiences in Chicago’s Black artistic community and abroad.
